I was hesitant after the dedication that maybe this book wasn't for me, because I'm definitely not a Bravoholic or even a reality TV fan...however, I loved it! The storyline kept you engaged with the multiple facets of it all. I enjoyed the actual courtroom drama, the sharing of the main characters' history together, their current (second chance) moments together...all of it. Definitely voiced my opinion (loudly to my Kindle) about the case and who I believed did the crime. I believe this truly is a book for all contemporary romance fans, but definitely the Real Housewives fans. This book covers some emotional subjects like infidelity, loss of a child/sibling, emotionally damaging homes, etc.

really well written book with some super dramatic situations and some very twisty shenanigans in the trial case. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

If you too watched Legally Blonde so many times it became part of your personality, I think you will love Courtroom Drama by Neely Tubati Alexander as much as I did. Sydney is over the moon that she got selected to be a juror for a very high profile case. Margot Kitsch, one of the leads in Authentic Moms of Malibu, (think The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) has been accused of murdering her husband. Sydney is certain she's innocent after years of watching the show and being a self proclaimed super fan. What she wasn't expecting though was for her old neighbor/best friend/first crush Damon, whom she hasn't seen in 10 years, to also be a juror. So while trying to be present in the trial Sydney is having a very hard time sorting all her past feelings about Damon with also some new ones as well. Courtroom Drama was such a great story. Slow burn romance, humor, likeable characters and of course as the title states some drama. There is a perfect balance of humor with heavier topics weaved in. Thank you so much Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. One of my favorite things about reading arcs is discovering wonderful new to me authors. I can't wait to now check out Neely's backlist.

Courtroom Drama by Neely Tubati Alexander had so much potential, but unfortunately, it didn’t deliver in the ways I was hoping. The premise is fantastic; jury duty meets reality TV scandal with a second chance romance thrown in? Sign me up! But the execution just fell flat.

The trial itself, which should have been the most gripping part, felt underdeveloped and ultimately unsatisfying in how it wrapped up. I wanted more twists, more tension, more depth to the case, but instead, it felt rushed and, at times, unrealistic. Sydney’s perspective as a juror was interesting, but the legal aspects didn’t hold up in a way that made the story feel immersive or believable, and she and her fellow jurors did things that... would not actually be okay for jurors to do.

Then there’s the romance. Sydney and Damon had potential, but their dynamic didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The tension from their past was there, but I never felt fully invested in their connection or why they were drawn back to each other. I also think the book leaned a bit too hard on pop culture references, which were fun but could make the story feel dated quickly.

I wanted to love this, but I needed more; more from the trial, more from the romance, and more from the execution overall. If you’re looking for a light, reality TV-inspired legal drama, this might work for you, but if you’re hoping for a gripping courtroom thriller or a good second chance romance, you might end up feeling underwhelmed like I did.

Thank you to NetGalley, Neely Tubati Alexander, and Harper Perennial for the eARC of this book.

The premise of Courtroom Drama—two jurors reconnecting during a reality TV star’s trial for murdering her husband—had potential, but the delivery fell flat for me. The pacing was slow, and I found myself skimming large portions of the book. The focus on the jurors’ childhood separation felt simplistic, and the gradual build-up of their reconnection was so drawn out that it ultimately felt weak. As someone who isn’t a fan of reality TV, I may not have been the ideal audience, but even beyond that, the story lacked the momentum to keep me engaged.

Thank you for the ARC e-read in exchange for my honest review.

I find that lately…contemporary romances are often missing the mark for me. I want to say it’s because I’m not the audience it is meant for but I am. I am a romance reader. However, stories like this have been leaving a lot to be desired.

I wanted salacious drama and what I got was lukewarm tea with a splash of spoiled milk

platform: netgalley ebook arc

I enjoyed this book. It was sort of Legally Blondish meets The Real Housewives. Sydney is placed on jury duty for a murder case of a reality star, Margot who was convicted of murdering her husband, Joe. Sydney is a huge fan of the show and she really wants to make sure Margot gets a fair trial, as she does not believe that she could ever do such a thing knowing what she knows based off of the show. When they show up the day of court and the other jurors meet each other, Sydney is faced with her childhood best friend/crush, Damon that broke her heart, who she hasn't seen or spoken too in 10 years. The story follows the trial and also Sydney and Damon getting reacquainted with each other. They have strict rules to not fraternize with each other outside of the court room and the jury is hauled off to a secluded hotel (if that's what you want to call it) away from everything. They have all their electronic devices and media taken away. Sydney realizes quickly how much goes into a trial and the mental exhaustion that comes along with it. She finds herself at times struggling with the trial all while Damon is sitting next to her every day in court. The two figure out ways to lean on each other while putting their past aside and try catching up with what each of them have been doing the last 10 years.

Overall, I felt this was pretty fast paced and I enjoyed following the trial along with them. It was interesting uncovering their past and what they each thought. I liked how they were in a way able to be there for each other through some of the difficulty times during the trial. I will say that the juror Cam was probably my favorite even though he was a side character he still had me giggling because of his immaturity and some of the things he said/did. I'm not sure I got the ending or the closure that I wanted from it, but overall I felt that it was a pretty good book.

This book offers a unique twist on the second chance romance trope by setting it against the backdrop of a high-profile murder trial. Sydney and Damon, once close but estranged for a decade, find themselves on the same jury, which adds an intriguing layer to their relationship. The courtroom drama is engaging and keeps you guessing about the defendant's guilt, making it a fun read. While the chemistry between the main characters could have been stronger, the story's emotional depth and the quirky details make up for it. Fans of reality TV and courtroom mysteries will likely enjoy this novel, and the ending leaves plenty to think about. Overall, it's an entertaining mix of romance and suspense.

A second chance trope mixed in with jury duty is not what I expected to read this year, but what a ride. Sydney and Damon wind up on the same jury of a high profile murder trial after being estranged for the last decade. I enjoyed getting insight on what happened to separate them and why they would be hesitant to start anything up between them. Also, the case was fun as well and trying to figure out whether the defendant was guilty or not.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Fun premise for a love story and legal procedural. This would make such a great mini series on tv! I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins Publishing for this ARC! I was sold on the premise alone! I think it’s so unique and an interesting angle to a love story. As a lover of reality TV, I thought the subplot of the court case and that it was a core part of the FMC’s character, being a fan. I was a tad confused logistically on how the FMC was really able to be on the jury and be unbiased. That was one of the first things asked jurors when I had jury duty so having a self-proclaimed superfan on the jury to make sure she had a fair trial wasn’t necessarily the most believable. The love interests didn’t have the most chemistry (which was odd given this is kind of a second chance romance) but I was more interested in the courtroom drama. Still really really enjoyed reading!

Ok, I think it’s fair that I was more invested in the case at the centre of this book than the romance (but how it ended lets just say I wasn’t really happy with that). I just really didn’t care about the main characters (as I’m writing this review it took me 3 minutes to remember the names of the main characters). I doubted Sydney and Damon, a lot.

Let’s just say I’m a stickler for rules and I can't shut my brain off while reading. I really respect institutions, the basis of justice, the rule of law. So to have two individuals on a jury constantly breaking the rules, knowing they actively tarnish the legal process, didn’t sit well with me. It’s my sincere hope that in real life juries go into a cases blind and take the responsibility of being a juror seriously.

Neely really finds her voice when writing the trial scenes. I was enthralled and it played so well. I kind of wish our love interests weren't jurors but maybe journalists covering the trial instead. That way there's room for them to interact while also showcasing the trial outside the courtroom. Maybe leaning more into the revealing mystery. I guess I wanted Courtroom Drama to be a revamped 12 Angry Men or have the quick wit of Amazon's Jury Duty. Maybe I held too many expectations.

While this romance may work with readers, I’m giving this 3 stars. I really and sincerely wanted to enjoy this book but it was a quick read. Thank you so much Harper Perennial for the digital arc!

Unfortunately, I didn't finish this book. I'm not a reality show fan, and while the main character rationalizes why she is so attached to reality TV, I just couldn't get into it. I also felt the relationship/broken relationship between the main character and the other juror was very forced. They were so young and she acted like it was a great romance that broke her heart.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC opportunity!

I thought this one was fun. I loooooved the drama surrounding the reality tv star and the jury trial of it all. Maybe it’s because I’m a chronic rule follower, but I felt like it was hard to root for the FMC and MMC. Overall a fun read!

Imagine a Housewife (as in the Bravo kind) is on trial for murder, you’re on her jury, and there is also a ghost-of-childhood-past sequestered as part of the jury with you who is full grown man now and not the teenager who left with you both in turmoil before the love between you had a chance to blossom into anything more than friendship. If that sounds like the kind of ride you’d enjoy going on, this book is for you. Legally Blonde meets Bravo (there are a bunch of little nods and Easter eggs that are fun to spot if you’re a fan) while healing past hurts and self-realizations along the way. Neely Tubati Alexander has created such a unique, entertaining, and introspective story here that will have you shaking your head at courtroom proceedings one minute and feeling aching emotions the next.

I have been summoned for jury duty plenty but never had to report, so I can’t speak to any real world experience with that aspect of the story. It works as a great forced proximity with a forbidden element scenario in this book though. Sydney and Damon haven’t seen each other in 10 years. They were just on the brink of something more when they were abruptly torn apart. They have each faced different challenges in their time apart that play into who they are now. They have to face their past as they reconnect, and they have to do it when they’re not supposed to be spending any time alone. The tension and heat between them crackles every time they’re together. Their entire collective story is so complex and so well-written. I was feeling their emotions on a physical level so many times, both as they danced around their attraction and as they had difficult, heartbreaking conversations.

As for the court case, I was INVESTED. It felt like being right there on the jury with them. Legal proceedings can be fascinating and intense and frustrating and complex and convoluted, and this fictional one is all of those things. I have my thoughts and opinions — which I promptly shared with Neely in her DMs and asked for insider info from the writing mind — about how everything plays out. I can’t wait for more people to read this one so we can discuss all of it.

I had such a great time reading this book. Thank you to Harper Perennial via NetGalley for the eARC and via Goodreads Giveaways for the print galley in exchange for an honest review.

I came into this really loving the uniqueness of the plot. I’m not super bravo fan but really liked the idea of a reality tv star on trial and two of the jurors falling in love. I thought there would be more yearning for each other since they weren’t suppose to ‘fraternize’. The trial itself was what kept me in the book…I wanted to know what happened to the husband. Both the trial and romance fell short for me.

You need to read this book! It was such a fun read!! The book description promises a mix of “Legally Blonde and Jury Duty meet The Real Housewives” and it did not disappoint!! The twists and turns with a fun bit of romance made this such a fast read and I enjoyed every single page!

The story focuses on Sydney Parks, a massive fan of “Authentic Moms of Malibu” who is selected to be a Juror in a high profile court case of one of the “Authentic Moms” cast members, Margot Kitsch. As Sydney arrives for the first day of court, she is surprised to find that her childhood friend, Damon, is also one of the Jurors.

Throughout the story, you follow the fascinating and tense court case while also learning about why Sydney and Damon were estranged for 10 years. I repeatedly found myself trying to analyze the evidence as I read this book and constantly asked myself what I would do if I were a Juror in a case like this. I’m pretty sure I flip-flopped my views no less than 10 times!

Sydney and Damon’s shared history was heart wrenching and I mourned their past with them as they navigated how their childhood relationship would influence who they are today.

Neely is truly a master at character development! I have loved the characters she has written in her other books, and Sydney and Damon were so relatable in Courtroom Drama! I may have squealed a little when Arsonist Betty made a cameo in the book (this is your PSA to read In a Not So Perfect World if you havent already!)!

I wanted to love Courtroom Drama—a book promising a mash-up of Legally Blonde, Jury Duty, and The Real Housewives sounds like an absolute blast. Unfortunately, while the premise is fun, the execution left a lot to be desired.

Sydney’s excitement over jury duty was quirky and entertaining at first, but the legal drama itself felt underdeveloped, making the stakes feel lower than they should have. The romance with Damon had potential, but their chemistry often felt forced, relying more on their past than any real present-day spark. The “no fraternizing” rule was clearly there for tension, yet the book doesn’t do much with it beyond a few predictable moments.

As for the reality TV aspect? It’s disappointingly surface-level. Margot Kitsch and the murder trial should have been captivating, but the book leans too heavily on rom-com tropes instead of crafting a truly gripping mystery.

Overall, Courtroom Drama is readable but lacks the punch of a great legal thriller or the swoon of a top-tier romance. If you’re looking for a fun, light read, this might work—but don’t expect the high-stakes drama the blurb promises.

DNF @35%

I stuck it out with this one because the premise is amazing. This could have been a great novel, but the characters did not feel well rounded. The romance was surface level at best. I also thought the case they were working on was SO BORING.

Just so much happening with nothing good.